Effect of acupuncture on hematologic, muscular biomarkers, fibrinogen and serum lactate parameters in training rodeo bulls

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluated the effects of acupuncture in rodeo bulls in training, by determining hematological variables, creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), fibrinogen, and plasma lactate. Thirty adult healthy bulls, crossbred, were included in the study and randomly allocated into two groups of 15 animals, according to the use of acupuncture treatment for six months (GA) or not (GB). The variables were measured 30 min before (TP₀) and 10 min (TP_10min), 12 (TP_12h), 24 (TP_24h), 48 (TP_48h), and 72 h (TP_72h) after a single episode of jumping emulating rodeo exercise. The GB group showed variations in hemoglobin between TP₀ and TP_10min (p = 0.002) and TP₀ and TP_12h (p = 0.004), and the GA presented an increase in eosinophil values between TP₀ and TP_12h (p = 0.013) and TP₀ and TP_24h (p = 0.034). Leukopenia was observed in GB between TP_10min and TP_72h ((p = 0.008). The CK values were high (↑ 300 UI/l) after exercise until the TP_24h, and decreased in TP_48h, in both groups. The plasma lactate elevation was lower in the GA at TP_10min (p = 0.011), TP_12h (p = 0.008), TP_72h (p < 0.001). The rodeo bulls submitted to acupuncture treatment showed smaller variations in hemogram, elevated eosinophils levels, and lower plasma lactate levels after exercise.

Keywords: Bulls; Chinese medicine; Creatine kinase; Exercise; Haemogram.